Knights of the Round Table
by OraclePrincess
Summary: Embark on an adventure full of danger, dragons, and love. Join Rayleen, Kale, and their family as they endeavor to stop a madman from destroying all they hold dear.
1. The Beginning

**A/N: Hey, guys! I'm back! I wanted to thank bookgirl360 for following me and all of you for reading my previous stories. I hope you liked them. Here is something I've been writing for years and decided to post. I'll post the first chapter, but you guys get to choose if I keep going. So please R&R, let me know what you think.**

Even though I was almost thirteen hundred years old, I certainly didn't look it. Not only that, but I was the last of King Arthur's Knights of the Round Table. I lived in the modern world and went to a local high school in San Antonio, Texas. My adoptive brother and his best friend were the first people to learn the truth.

It was just before autumn, and my adoptive brother, Steven, had his best friend, Casey, over for a day of video games. I was reading in my room when I heard a commotion downstairs. I went to investigate but paused in the doorway. On instinct, I turned around, walked to my closet, and opened the door. I shoved the clothes aside and pulled out a double-edged broadsword, a longbow, and a quiver full of arrows. The quiver I attached to my belt, the sword I strapped to my back, and the longbow I kept in my hands.

I hurried downstairs and stopped short on the last step.

There standing in the front doorway was a powerfully built blonde. His nose was very crooked, as if it had been broken many times. He had a curved scar on one temple and a thick scar on his right cheekbone. I recognized him immediately, because I had given him those scars.

In a quiet voice, I said his name. "Melvin Matroon."

He grinned, and evil grin, one that I had gotten used to not seeing these past centuries.

He stepped to the side and gestured behind him. "I suppose," he said in a heavy British accent, "that you would like to see your friends again. But only under one condition."

"And what would that be?" I asked, masking my own accent.

"You might have been able to hide all these years, but not anymore. Show your friends who you really are!"

Steven and Casey looked at me with wide eyes. Their eyes grew even wider as I spoke with an accent matching the intruder's.

"Fine," I retorted. "You want me to show them who I really am, then so be it!"

I whipped my sword out of its scabbard and swung it at him in one swift move. I dropped my bow and held my ground as he charged at me. I heard the terrified gasps of our two onlookers but paid them no attention. Instead I kept my concentration on the sharp blade swinging towards my neck. I blocked just in time, feeling the clash up to my shoulders.

After several minutes of continued fighting, he twisted his sword around mine, jerking it from my hands. I reeled away from his sword and circled around to my bow. Before he could react, I had an arrow fitted to the string and had let it fly. It pierced him in the center of his chest, and he toppled over, crashing to the floor. Suddenly, he disappeared in smoke.

In the silence, I sensed Steven and Casey staring at me in wide-eyed astonishment. I shyly raised my eyes to meet theirs. Steven's eyes were frightened, but Casey's were filled with wonder.

"I'm sorry I lied, but I had to in order to protect my family," I said in a rush.

Steven looked at me and asked, blandly, "Who are you?"

I hesitated, not knowing if I should tell them. Then I decided that they deserved to know, what with all they had seen. So I began to tell them my story.


	2. Rayleen's Story

**A/N: Hey guys! So, here's chapter two. I would like to thank Megknsis for all of her help. And also all of you who have read the first chapter of this story. Hope you like this installment. **

I was born almost thirteen hundred years ago. The knights of the Round Table, particularly King Arthur, were my heroes, my role models. I looked up to them, as much as I looked up to my father. When my eldest brother was knighted, I begged him to teach me how to be a knight. Even though I knew I could not obtain my own shield, I practiced as though I had to keep up with the pages and squires.

Then, when I was eighteen, the king's great sword, Excalibur, was stolen. The kingdom's knights, every one of them, looked for months. Finally, the king called off the search. Seven years had passed since I began my training. Determined, I sneaked out of the house during the night. Along the way, I found myself lost in the darkest part of the forest. I wandered for what seemed like days. I eventually stumbled across a log house covered with ivy. As I crept toward the house, I heard a rustle in the bushes opposite me. As quickly and as quietly as I could, I fled back to the trees.

To my astonishment, a young man around my age came out of the trees opposite my hiding place. He was lean and well-muscled, tall and broad-shouldered, and _very _handsome. He carried a long wooden staff and had a hawk perched on his shoulder. He looked directly at my hiding place and gestured for me to join him. Cautious and alert for danger, I stepped out of the bushes. His eyes widened in surprise. I wouldn't blame him. A skinny red hair and freckles armed with a sword was not a common sight in these woods. He recovered from his start and led me inside the house. As he prepared a light meal, he peppered me with questions. I told him my name and where I had come from, but little else. He told me his name was Kale.

Then he asked the question I expected:

"You're looking for Excalibur, aren't you?"

I sighed. "Yes, I am. Can you help me?"

"As it so happens," he replied, "I can."

He busied himself packing supplies. Then we ate, and he led me out the door. After a week's travel, we came to a deep gully. At the bottom, I saw a glimmer.

"There it is!" I exclaimed

I started down, but he grabbed my arm and yanked me to the ground as griffins descended on us from above. He swore and spun his staff around to fend off the creatures. After the shock of being thrown to the ground wore off, I managed to scramble to my feet and draw my sword. I cut the wing off one griffin and thrust my sword into a second. Kale yelled something, but I couldn't understand him. He dove towards me, wrenched the sword out of my hand, and beheaded a griffin sneaking up behind me. The griffins gave up and left after that.

I stuttered out my thanks, but he shrugged it off. I insisted, but he refused to accept. Finally I asked why he had come to my aid.

"Well," he reasoned, "if you had died, and I couldn't go, who would return Excalibur to the king?"

I left it at that and motioned for him to take the lead down into the gully. At the bottom, we found it: Excalibur, unaffected by the dust and heat. I slid Excalibur into the scabbard on my back and tucked my broadsword into my belt. We left the gully and returned to Kale's cabin in the forest. I tried to convince him to return to the castle with me so that I would not get all the credit for finding the king's sword, but he refused. I left with tears streaming down my cheeks.


	3. Who Kale Really Is

**Chapter 3: Who Kale Really Is**

**A/N: Hey, guys! I'm back with a new chapter. I'm going to go back and add the chapter titles to the chapters . . . eventually. Haha :) I would like to thank my readers of sticking with me so far. There are some moments in this chapter that sound really stupid, at least to me they do. I've tried and tried to fix them, since I started this story, like, seven years ago. So some of the beginning sounds really juvenile, but I still hope you like it.**

**I'm going to shut up now and start writing. Please review and tell me what you think. If you have any ideas on how I can make any of this better, click on my name and PM me. I will get back to you. I'm going to start updating more frequently. I keep worrying that I'll forget. So now I will be updating every few days, instead of once a week.**

I left the way I had come. When I arrived at the castle, I ran straight to the throne room, and returned Excalibur to its rightful owner.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and Matroon stepped into the room. His face darkened when he saw Excalibur in the king's hand.

"Rilan!" he bellowed. "I thought you lost the sword?!"

"I did, my lord," squeaked a tiny voice behind him. "I swear I did!"

"No matter," Matroon stated. "He will soon be dead, and then it will really be mine."

I stepped in front of the king and pulled my sword from my belt. "Not if I have anything to say about it," I challenged, and darted forward.

He blocked my swing expertly, but the impact jarred both our arms. Snaking my blade around his, I jerked it from his hands. I lunged again and pierced his chest with the point of my sword. As he fell to his knees, he glared to me.

"Don't think you've seen the last of me, girlie. This is just the beginning!" with that, he disappeared in a puff of smoke. Rilan ran in fear when I turned my sword on him.

I heard a shout behind me. I twirled around and saw Kale hurrying towards me. I ran to him and hugged him tightly.

"We've barely known each other for three weeks, so I can't believe I'm doing this," he murmured.

Suddenly, he pulled back and lowered his lips to mine. Startled, I pulled away from his soft lips.

"I-I can't b-believe it," I stammered.

We kissed again.

From behind, I heard the king say, "My son?" as Kale pulled away from out embrace, I looked form one to the other, totally confused.

"Father," Kale began, "I have followed your orders. I have returned because I have found my bride." He glanced at me, and then continued. "If she is to your liking, and she agrees, I would like to marry Rayleen."

I gasped, shocked. Kale was the prince? And he wanted to marry me?! Impossible! No prince could fall for someone like me!

As if reading my thoughts, Kale turned to me and said, "It has happened before, you know. My grandmother was a commoner once, before my grandfather married her."

"Really?" I asked.

"Really," he confirmed.

By this time, I realized the king had left. I looked around and found that we were alone. Kale stepped towards me and wrapped his arms around my waist. He pulled me close and bent to kiss me, but I put two fingers on his lips, stopping him.

"What?" he whined.

"I was just thinking. Why did your father send you away?"

"Long story short, the first girl I wanted to marry killed my mother. No one knows how she did it, but there's one thing I do know."

"W-what's that?" I stammered.

"I love you." With that, he leaned down and, before I could protest, pressed his lips to mine for another kiss.

As I breathed in his woodsy scent, I let the realization crash over me: I loved him, too. When he asked me to marry him, I squealed and kissed him again.

Then my parents had to be told, and the rest of the kingdom. We were married three weeks later and had our first daughter within the year. Everything was perfect.

When the kingdom was invaded a year later, our daughter was killed, Kale was taken captive, and I was left alone and devastated.

"I went through the years searching for Kale, and ended up here," I remarked to Steven and Casey in conclusion. "I still think that he's out there somewhere, and I'm not stopping until I find him. I don't care if it takes another thousand years. And now that I know Lord Matroon is still alive, Kale is in great danger."

"Can we help you in any way?" asked Casey.

In the weeks previous today, I had noticed that Casey was showing me more attention than I liked. And now, even though he knew I was married, he still had that tone in his voice. I glared at him, giving him a hint to back off. He lowered his eyes.

"Actually, you can. I have a lead as to where he might be."

"And that is . . . ?" Steven inquired.

"Washington, D.C." I answered.

**A/N 2: *passes out from exhaustion* There it is, my pretties! Hope you liked it. It was at least tolerable, considering you're reading this. By the way I have found that I have not done a disclaimer. No offense to whoever came up with the legendary King Arthur, the Knights of the Round Table, and Excalibur. I am writing this from my own pathetically vivid imagination. They were all my own ideas. . . I think. I don't really know. I wrote this soo long ago, I don't even remember if they are all my ideas. K, I'm gonna go now. Got to get the next chapter ready for you! See ya next week!**


	4. Kale and King Arthur

**A/N: Hey, guys! Sorry this is a little late. I was so tired yesterday I didn't wake up until almost noon! Anyway, here it is; I hope you like it. Please review and let me know. **

We left the nest day. I bought each of us plane tickets and we boarded early in the morning.

We landed a while later in Washington, D.C. we walked to an apartment complex and climbed up to the third floor. I knocked on door #23, holding my breath. The door opened, revealing a tall young man with blonde hair and blue eyes.

I squealed and threw my arms around his nice. He froze and pulled back just enough to look at my face. His eyes filled with tears, and he jerked my back into a tight embrace.

"Oh, Rayleen," he whispered in my ear, "I thought I would never see you again." He pulled back and kissed me.

We would have kept kissing all day, but I remembered that we had an audience. I ended the kiss and turned to Steven and Casey.

"Kale—," I began.

"I'm Kyle here," he interrupted.

I smiled at him. "Kyle," I tried again, "this is Steven, whose family adopted me; and Casey, his best friend."

"Pleasure to meet you," Kyle said politely.

"Hi," Steven and Casey said at the same time, Casey a little stiffly.

Kyle's eyebrows went up at Casey's tone. He glanced at me, and I rolled my eyes.

"Kyle, do you know what happened to your father?" I inquired.

"Yes. He actually stopped by not too long ago."

"Was he alright?" I asked excitedly.

"He was just fine, but he was really angry," he replied. "Apparently, Excalibur was stolen again."

"What about Merlin?" I asked hopefully.

"He died," Kyle reported sadly.

"Oh," I sighed, disappointed. "Does your father know who took Excalibur this time?"

"Melvin Matroon, again," he groaned.

I sighed again. "Well, this will be just like old times then." He stared at me. "What, do you actually think that I'm going to let old Matroon get the better of me? No! I'm going to find Excalibur, just like we did over a thousand years ago."

"But it could be anywhere," Steven stated.

"I know. To find it, we have to find the king; and I always know where the king is."

"Then where is he?" Casey challenged.

"For some reason, the great King Arthur decided to go to Disneyland."

They all burst out laughing, while Kyle said, "Well, I guess we'd better set out if we want to get there before Matroon does."

We left before dawn the next morning, dragging along Steven and Casey, who were still half asleep. We arrived in California in no time and travelled to Disneyland to locate the king. We found him easily and had a talk about Matroon.

"He'll be here in a few days," the king reminded us.

"Father," Kyle began, "how can Rayleen—sorry, Katie—tell where you are all the time?"

"Well," the king replied, "Merlin told me it was because she connected to Excalibur when her father sent her to the castle to give it to me. When I acquired the blade, I, too, connected to it. Therefore, Katie and I are connected through the sword."

"How do you connect to a sword?" Steven asked, puzzled.

"Months of physical contact," I replied before the king could. "For me, it was carrying it for eight weeks on my way to Camelot to deliver it to the king. For him, it was using it in battle after battle for many months. Any person can connect to a sword by always using it; it just normally takes about six years. It didn't take as long with Excalibur because it's an . . . unusual sword."

"Astonishing!" the king exclaimed. "She is almost as wise as Merlin!"

"If it please the king, he might have already told you, but Merlin helped raise me."

Steven, Casey, and Kyle stared at me in wonder.

"He helped raise you?" Steven asked me.

"He was my grandfather."


	5. Chase Is Who!

**A/N: Hey, guys! Please don't hate me. I know I'm late, but I've had one heck of a week. Work is a pain to confirm schedules, and we were out in town most of the days this week. But! Here is the next chapter, many days late, but hopefully satisfactory. Even seven years since putting the first chapter on paper, and seventeen chapters later, this story has no end in sight. There are some surprises coming in later chapters, so please keep reading. And reviewing!**

Chapter 5: Chase Is Who?!

Two days later, we all left the hotel and headed back to Texas. But little did we know that we were being led on a wild goose chase.

When we arrived in San Antonio, we decided not to go back to the house. Instead, we found a campsite in the middle of nowhere. I reported I could no longer sense the sword. Arthur stated likewise.

"We'll never find it now," Steven complained.

"We don't know where Matroon went," I countered, "but I know who does."

"Who?" Kyle inquired.

"Chase, where is he?!" I asked vehemently.

Steven exploded. "What?! Chase wouldn't know where he is!"

"Actually, Steve, I do know where he is," Chase confessed.

"But how?" Steven demanded. "How do you know?"

"Because Chase is really Rilan, Matroon's right hand man," Arthur explained.

Chase smirked. "Well, there is nothing you can do about it now. He's half way across the world."

"Half way across the world?" I shouted. "What do you mean?"

"He's in Japan." He froze. Suddenly, he lifted a hand. I jumped forward and gripped his raised wrist. We disappeared in a flash of blue and red fire.

"Katie!" Kyle cried. He jumped forward, but his father grabbed his arm.

"You can't do anything now. Katie can take care of herself. We'll just stay here and see if she comes back."

Kyle's shoulders slumped. "I just don't like letting her face danger by herself. I'm afraid she could get hurt without me."

"I know, son. I was the same way with your mother."

Chase took me straight to the house Matroon was staying in while in Japan. I managed to evade Chase when we stopped and followed him to a large room.

Men dressed in full armor crowded the room. In the middle, Matroon sat behind a large mahogany desk issuing orders. They all looked up when Chase entered through the open doors.

"Ah, Rilan, you made it," Matroon commented. "Did you lose the fool king and his company?"

"I lost all but the girl, milord," Rilan reported, bowing. "She grabbed my hand and followed me here."

Matroon cursed and grabbed Excalibur, which, I now saw, had been on the desk. "I'll find her," he said. "Stay here, all of you, or else." He started out the door. I raised my hand and disappeared just before he saw me.

I reappeared about a foot from a small fire. From behind, I heard someone call my name.

"Katie!"

I spun around and breathed a sigh of relief.

Kyle was sprinting towards me. When he reached me, he pulled me into a bone-crushing embrace.

"Don't you ever, _ever_, scare me like that again, do you hear me?" he demanded. "You could have been killed!" he kissed me thoroughly.

I pulled away first. "Later." I told him. Avoiding his gaze, I called for King Arthur and Steven. "Matroon is in Japan, and he's recruited about twenty men, including Rilan. He—,"

"Wait," Kyle interrupted, "Rilan can use a sword? Since when?"

I glared at him. "Rilan has always been able to use a sword. He's the best of Matroon's army. Anyway, Matroon keeps Excalibur close at all times. He nearly saw me before I left, so he'll be on alert for us if we show up again. We need to think of a way to get the sword."

We came up with ideas for over an hour, but discarded every one of them. Finally, we broke up and headed to our individual tents. I had been in bed for about half an hour, still awake, when someone laid down behind me. I jumped, then calmed as I heard Kyle's voice.

"It's just me," he soothed. He pulled me close to him and wrapped his arm around my waist.

Suddenly, I began to cry. "I'm sorry, Kyle," I sobbed. "You must have been scared to death when I disappeared with Rilan, but I had to. I had to figure out where—,"

"Shh," he quieted me. "It's all right. You did scare me quite a bit. I told my dad that I hate letting you face danger without me. Do you realize I could have lost you?" he sat up and rolled me onto my back. As he gazed down at me, I saw tears fill his eyes. I reached up and laid my palm on his cheek.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize that, but you're right. I know how you would feel if I died, but if it stopped Matroon, then I would."

"But—," he began.

I cut him off. "I know, but sometimes that's the only way. Now, can we please go to sleep?"

He grinned at me, and we settled down and fell asleep together.

**A/N: There it is folks! Kind of a lame ending in my opinion, but it's all up to you guys. If you find any errors, please let me know. I'm very OCD about my writing, so there shouldn't be any. Also, let me know if you have any ideas or thoughts you think I should add or change in this story. I always have an open mind and am constantly changing things. Thank you for reading my creation and for your reviews.**


	6. The Third Death of Matroon

**A/N: Hey, guys! Well, hopefully, I can get this story back on track. I hope this makes you guys happy. Please read and review, let me know what you think and if you have any ideas you think I should put into this story.**

**Remember: Kale is Kyle, and Rayleen is Katie.**

Chapter 6: The Third Death of Matroon

The next morning, Kale helped me transport the king and Steven to Matroon's house in Japan. Once there, I led them to the meeting room. We started to look around in all the drawers, cabinets, and closets. In one closet, I found a large stash of weapons. I handed out swords, giving Steven a small light-weight on since he didn't know how to fight. The king and Kale both got heavy broadswords. I still had mine, along with my bow and arrows. Then I distributed heater shields: strong enough to block any attack, but light enough to swing around.

Once we were all equipped, we sneaked through the building, looking for Matroon's bedroom. I found him in the northeast corner of the house. I quietly walked to his bed, where he was sprawled in the middle.

"Third time's the charm," I whispered.

I silently drew my sword, lifted it above my head, and prepared myself to plunge it down into his chest. Before I could, however, he leaped out of bed and grabbed Excalibur.

"What are you doing here?" he shouted. "How did you find your way in here?"

"Well, let's just say it was Rilan's fault. He's not very observant, is he?"

As if of its own accord, his blade flickered up towards my face. I blocked it, but quick as lightning, he swung it downwards at my left hip. I used my shield to block, feeling my arm go numb from the force of impact. I slung my shield away so that I could wield my sword with both hands. He caught my sword on Excalibur. I snaked my sword around Excalibur, which went flying out of Matroon's hand. The great blade spun, end over end, coming towards me. I caught it by the hilt and turned to look at Matroon. He had snatched up my shield and held it with both hands. He sped towards me, raising the shield as if to strike me with it. As it arced down, I lifted both swords and held them parallel to each other. The impact knocked my broadsword out of my hand, sending it beyond my reach. Before I could react, Matroon ran over and picked it up.

I raised my eyebrows. "You are very good, but no ordinary swordsman has ever been known to beat a Knight of the Round Table."

He snorted. "You are no Knight of the Round Table. If you were, you would not have tried to kill me in my sleep."

I cackled. "But that's how I work. Before I became a knight, I was trained as an assassin. It's not something I like to publicize."

Matroon's face blanched. "You," he snarled. "You're the one Arthur sent to kill me all those years ago, aren't you?"

"Perhaps," I replied, "but then again, it could have been someone else."

"Oh, no," Matroon countered. "I remember a redhead girl like you."

"Prove it," I growled.

He lunged at me, swinging his broadsword wildly in my direction. Desperately, I swing Excalibur up and blocked his sword. As our blades clashed together, he pulled a dagger from his belt with his left hand and plunged it into my side. I cried out and fell to my knees. Before Matroon could snatch Excalibur from my hand, I rolled and jumped to my feet.

Matroon stared at me in scared astonishment. "I-I thought you—," he stuttered.

"What? You thought I could be killed by a weak stab from a knife? Ha! The only way to kill me is to chop me into little tiny pieces!"

He stared at me as if I had suddenly gone mad. Then he darted forward, chopping at me with his sword.

After several minutes of desperate blocking, I panted, "And I also know the only way to kill you."

"And what might that be?" he demanded.

"Cut off your head, or give you a wound that cannot be healed. Like this." I swung my sword at his neck. He raised my sword to block my swing, but he was too slow. Excalibur sliced clean through his neck, sending his read rolling across the floor.

As his body crumpled to the floor, King Arthur, Steven, Kale, and Rilan entered the room.

Kale dragged Rilan into the room by his ear. "Rayleen, are you—," he began.

"I'm fine," I interjected. "I just had a slight disagreement with our old friend Matroon here." I stepped aside, giving them all a good look at Matroon's decapitated body. Rilan cried out in despair.

"Is he the only one alive?" I asked, gesturing to the sobbing Rilan.

"Yeah, he's the only one left," Kale answered. "Oh, by the way, Steven did great. He's got a natural talent with a sword. He fought and killed two of them by himself."

Steven turned bright red. "I-I just tried to do what Rayleen did earlier."

I grinned at him, then swept my eyes over the king and Kale. The king had a nasty gash on his forehead, and Kale had an open wound on his right shoulder. Remarkably, Steven had no injuries. I moved towards Arthur, tearing my sleeve as I went. I had to reach way up to clean his wound. As I cleaned Kale's injury, he told me what happened as they searched the rest of the house. He explained their run-in with Matroon's men, what he saw of Steven's altercation with two of them, and how they found me.

"How did you do it?" I inquired after he finished his story.

"Do what?" he answered.

"Fight with that wound."

"Oh, that. I got that at the end. Rilan's work."

"Oh." That sounded really lame to my ears, but I didn't care. When we were finished, Kale stood up and killed Rilan with one strong swing of his sword.

**A/N: So, there it is. Hope you like it. I've decided that if you have any ideas for this story, or want to tell me what you think, just PM me. I cannot for the life of my figure out how to read the reviews I'm sure you guys have given me. Thank you so much for reading. The next chapter has a surprise in it, so stick around. See you on Tuesday!**


	7. A New Member and a Return

**A/N: Hey, guys! Please don't hate me! I know how late I am with this. Work is just terrible, shifts all across the board. But, this chapter has the first surprise I have in store for you, with a few more in following chapters. Please read and review, let me know what you think. PMs are actually better. Maybe you can think of little one-shots I could write to go along with this longer fic. Anyways, thank you for reading my story. Hope you like it!**

Chapter 7: A New Member and Parents

Arthur had decided to live close to us as an extra precaution. To thank me for destroying Matroon, Arthur gave Excalibur to me. I was astonished when he handed it to me and managed to stutter a "thank you." When I told Kale, he only smiled at me.

Weeks later, I was not feeling well, so I went to the doctor's office. I came home with a big smile on my face and a shopping bag in my hand.

"Kale! Steven! Arthur!" I hollered.

Seconds later, they all rushed down the steps, unsheathed swords in their hands, and shields on their arms. Paired with their jeans and t-shirts, they looked ridiculous.

I giggled. "You guys look silly." I snatched in a breath. "I have a surprise."

"A surprise?" Steven asked. "What's the occasion?"

I reached into my shopping bag and pulled out a pair of white baby shoes.

Kale looked at me with a funny look on his face. "You bought these why?"

"Because," I replied.

"Will you just tell—?" Kale paused. "Wait, aren't those baby shoes?"

I grinned. "Yep, and we need to get a crib."

Kale leaped towards me and swept me into a tight hug. I felt two other pairs of arms wrap around us. We all broke apart, but Kale kept an arm around my waist.

"Congratulations!" Arthur exclaimed.

My grin grew even wider as Steven came over and gave me a crushing hug.

"I'm so happy for you, really happy," he commented. Even though he sounded sincere, he acted a little distracted.

"Are you ok?" I asked. "You seem a little . . . occupied?"

"Oh . . . uh . . . About that . . ." he stammered. "I ran into a guy named Brandon yesterday. He started to talk about Matroon, trying to get me to help resurrect him. Well, that's what it sounded like anyway."

"What did you do?" Arthur inquired.

"Well," Steven hesitated, "I, uh, kind of got a little, um, angry, your majesty. I, uh, beat him up."

"Well," Arthur admitted, "you aren't the only one who has experienced an encounter with this 'Brandon.'"

"What do you mean, Dad?" Kale asked, confused.

"I met someone who was much like the man Steven just mentioned. In fact, I am led to believe that this man is the same Rilan that Kale believes he killed a few weeks ago."

"B-b-but Kale did kill him!" I spluttered. "I watched him do it with my own two eyes!"

"Nevertheless, it must be Rilan. Only he would be so zealous to raise Matroon from the dead."

"But how can Rilan be alive," Steven persisted, "when Kale practically chopped him in half? And how in the world could he bring Matroon back?"

I sighed. "I know how."

"What!" everyone exclaimed.

"What do you mean? How do you know?" Kale shouted.

"Because I stayed in the same hotel as he did a century ago!" I retorted hotly. "When I recognized him, I followed him to his room. The next morning, when he left, he must have dropped one of his keys. When I went to eat breakfast, I found it and kept it, thinking I could sneak into his room and find out what he was up to. My opportunity came at night, when he left to meet with someone, I sneaked into his room, but I didn't find anything suspicious at first. I did, however, find an instruction booklet that was in Latin. I duplicated it, put the original back where I found it, and left, taking the copy with me. I hid it in my own room and took it everywhere with me so no one could take it back."

"Did you ever translate it?" Arthur asked me.

"Yes, I carry both with me, the Latin version and the English one. It took forever to translate it, but it got done."

"What's it about?" Steven asked.

"That's the tricky part, Steve. It makes no sense. The title is _The Art of Raising Them That Died,_ but that isn't hard. The first sentence is, 'Laid between the ashes and wood, one can make alive again those called to sleep.' It makes no sense whatsoever to me. Does it to any of you?" I asked hopefully.

They all shook their heads.

"I think you two should put your heads together like you always used to," Arthur remarked. "In the meantime, Steven and I shall go make supper."

They left, leaving me and Kale to, as Arthur said, "put our heads together."

"Okay," Kale started, "let's think. 'The ashes and wood.' Obviously that's ashes like from a fire, but wood? Hmmm. . ."

"You're forgetting something. It says '_between_ the ashes and wood.' So maybe, something has to be put between the ashes of a fire and the wood still fueling the fire. But what?"

"Maybe some sort of magical tool," Kale suggested, "like vervain or something like that."

"Could be," I agreed. "Good thinking. Of course, 'those called from sleep' are dead people brought back to life, like the way Jesus raised Lazarus."

"Right. Okay, now all we need to find out is what is supposed to be 'laid between that ashes and wood.'"

At that moment, Arthur and Steven walked back through the door.

"Can't it wait till tomorrow?" Steven begged. "We're all hungry and tired, so let's eat up and go to bed."

We all agreed and ate our supper. When we finished, the king and Steven left for their rooms while Kale and I changed into our pajamas and crawled into my bed. We snuggled together and lay quietly for a moment.

Just as I drew breath to say something, I heard the front door open.

**A/N: My first shot at a cliffie! How did I do? Are you excited to read the next chapter? Who do you think came in the door? Guess you'll have to wait till Saturday or Sunday, huh? See you then!**


	8. The Parents Find Out

**A/N: Hey, guys! Look at this, I'm on time! So shocking. I had a terrible day yesterday. Thought I'd work on this to cheer me up. Here is surprise number two. The next chapter has surprise number three, so stay tuned! Here we go!**

Chapter 8: The Parents Find Out. "Katie! Steven! We're home!" a feminine voice called.

"Oh, no!" I exclaimed. "My parents!"

I leaped out of bed and headed toward the door. "Hide!" I told Kale as I joined Steven in the hall.

We rushed down the stairs and almost ran into our parents at the bottom. A joyous reunion followed. At least, joyous for our parents. Steven and I weren't quite as happyu to see them/

"You said you wouldn't be back till next month," Steven commented.

"Change of plans," our mother replied. "The field—," she froze and stared at Steven. She exclaimed. "Whatever happened to your face?"

He raised his hand to his left cheek and felt the scar one of Matroon's men had given him. "Oh, uh . . . I, uh, fill . . . out of a tree, that's all," he lied. "It's fine, thought. Didn't even need stitches."

"And," our father continued, "why haven't you answered our calls? We've been worried sick."

We've been really busy, out and about with our friends," Steven reported.

"Well, we expected that, but didn't you two keep your cell phones with you like you normally do?" Dad asked.

"Yeah, we did, but cell phones don't work very well when . . . unh!" I elbowed him in the stomach, causing him to grunt.

"When don't your cell phones work?" Mom inquired suspiciously.

Steven and I stared at her. "Uh . . . well . . . "I stalled. "Underground! We went exploring in caves and mines! With guides, of course."

"I just realized something else, Katie," she continued. "Did you put on some weight while we were gone?"

"Uh, yeah . . . maybe . . . no, not really," I hesitated.

"Then what is all of this?" she asked poking my stomach. She paused, then exclaimed, "Katie, are you pregnant?"

I winced. "Yes, I am." I sighed. "But it's a really long story. Let's go in the living room." After we had all sat down, I proceeded to tell them my story, past and recent. I left out the fact that Arthur used to be a king and my first pregnancy. "Now, would you like to meet my husband and his father?" They nodded, both with dazed looks on their faces. I went upstairs, found Kale and Arthur, and led them downstairs.

"Mom, Dad, this is my husband Kale and his father Arthur. Kale, Your Majesty, this is my mother Renee and my father Bill."

There was an awkward silence. Then my father started asking Kale questions, over-protective-father, don't-mess-with-my-daughter questions.

"Dad," I interrupted, "Kale and I are already married. You don't have to interrogate him. And, yes, he will take very good care of me and the baby."

He blushed. My mother was talking to King Arthur at this point.

"So, Arthur, why did Katie—sorry, Rayleen—call you 'Your Majesty'?" she inquired.

"Because I was once the king of Camelot, the original Camelot," he replied.

"Oh my goodness!" my mother exclaimed.

"Well, we have another problem," I explained. "Remember I told you about Matroon and how we defeated him?" They nodded. "Well, his right-hand man, Rilan, is trying to raise him from the dead."

"But how would he do that?" my father asked.

"That's what we're trying to figure out, sir," Kale answered. "Although, Rayleen obtained some kind of instruction booklet called _The Art of Raising Them that Died_."

"Well, how hard can that be?" Dad asked.

"Actually, Dad," Steven interjected, "it's very hard. The first sentence is a riddle itself. It says, 'Laid between the ashes and wood, one can make alive again those called to sleep.'" He paused, and then continued. "It makes absolutely no sense to us." 

Our father stilled. "I'll be right back," he commented. He left the room and came back a few minutes later, carrying something cupped in his palms.

"What's that, Dad?" I asked, going to look.

"A rare herb called meskaine," he said showing me a pile of dark green powder. "Obtained only by license. It was originally used as a medicine in the Middle Ages. It's said that Merlin discovered it inside Avalon with the help of a band of dragons. Legend says that Merlin used it to heal King Arthur when he was gravely injured while fighting the Saxons." 

"I remember that," Arthur commented. "I also remember how the eyes of the man who injured me grew round as saucers when a certain redheaded girl ran him through with his own sword."

I blushed when he looked pointedly at me. My parents' jaws dropped.

"Another story for another time," I rushed to add. "One more question, Dad. How would this herb raise a person who was decapitated?"

"Well," he began, "legend says that Merlin boiled it in rose water and poured it on Arthur's wound. I did learn later, however, that another fable said if you burn a little meskaine between the ashes and wood of a fire and put the severed body on top of the fire, it would completely heal within a couple hours.

I jumped up. "That's it!" I exclaimed. "That's what they're going to use to raise Matroon! Where can we get some?" I asked excitedly.

Dad shook his head. "Not tonight. I'll tell you in the morning. We all need to get some sleep."

We all agreed, said good night, and tromped up the stairs to out bedrooms. As Kale and I laid there together, I began to think.

Suddenly, I sat up. "Of course! How could I not have seen it!"

Kale's eyes shot open. "Seen what?"

"How do you think my dad knew so much about meskaine?"

"I don't know. Maybe he's just an avid herbalist."

I smacked his shoulder and ran to my parents' bedroom. I pounded on the door.

My sleepy father answered. "Rayleen, what is it?" I noticed how easily my real name slipped from his lips.

"Dad, are you Merlin?" I demanded.

**A/N: How's that? Did you like it? Not like it? Well, it's there. By the way, meskaine is pronounce MESS-KANE. From the last chapter, I did take the plant "vervain" from Tamora Pierce's book **_**Alanna: The First Adventure,**_** which is not mine. All of the "according to legend" stuff is actually "according to my mind." I found nothing nowhere. Thank you for reading. Tune in next time to find out Bill's answer to Rayleen's question. See ya then!**


	9. Let the Journey Begin!

**A/N: Hey, guys! Sorry I'm a day late, again. Work is getting really hectic, so I will probably only update on my days off: Tuesdays, Thursdays, and the weekends.**

**Anyway, here is the next chapter and surprise. Hope you like it. Sorry it's a little shorter than usual, but I would still like to hear your thoughts. PM me with any ideas you might have that could make this story any better, or if you find any mistakes. There shouldn't be, I'm very OCD when it comes to grammar. Enjoy!**

Chapter 9: Let the Journey Begin!

By this time, Steven, Arthur, Kale, and Renee had gathered around us. Not they stood quietly, waiting for my father to answer.

"Of course I'm Merlin! Were you expecting anyone else to know that much about an herb found only in Avalon? And who else would survive trespassing on dragon turf uninvited, besides you, Rayleen?"

"Wait a minute," Kale said. "Dad and I thought you died."

"I almost did," Merlin replied. "When you couldn't find me on the battlefield, you thought I was dead. But two dragons came and took me to their cave and nursed me back to health. After my recovery was complete, I went north, keeping away from Camelot. I knew there were people who wanted to kill me, so I stayed away. I figured it was also a way to protect Arthur and Kale."

"Why didn't you tell me before?" I demanded. "Do you know how many opportunities you had to tell me? Did you even know it was me?"

"How could I forget?" my grandfather countered. "You're my own granddaughter! And you look exactly like your mother. As for not telling you, I knew Matroon was looking for you. Whenever I told anyone who I am, he always found me."

"So, now that you've told us . . .?" Steven started.

"It's only a matter of time before he finds me again," Merlin finished.

"Well, then." This came from Renee. It was the first time she'd spoken since saying goodnight earlier. "I suppose we should leave right away." She paused a moment. "I just can't believe it. I married Merlin. _The_ Merlin!" She giggled. We all shared smiles.

"How are we going to travel?" Arthur questioned. "Car or plane?"

"A plane would probably be more reliable," Renee replied, "but they are easily tracked."

"It would take too long to travel by car." Merlin added. "And there are no trains near here. We can't travel by boat because Rayleen and I both get violently seasick."

"And we can't travel by magic," Kale interjected. "Rilan probably has another sorcerer on his side that can follow us that way."

"Well," I sighed, "I guess there's only one way to travel then." I paused to see if they knew what I was talking about. When I realized they didn't, I continued. "We'll have to use the dragons."

"You know where they are?!" Merlin exclaimed.

"I've known for a long time," I admitted. "They stayed one step behind us on our journey, keeping an eye on us and doing little things to help us when we were in a tight spot."

"Yes, I'm sure they did. They always would do anything to help their mistress," Merlin conceded. He looked meaningfully at me. Renee and Steven looked at me in amazement. "But do you know where they are now?"

"Of course I do. After all, as you pointed out, I am their mistress. They're only a short walk from here, in that old warehouse where Steven and I used to hang out with our friends.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Steven asked. "Let's go visit some fire-breathing lizards!"

"We will, we will!" Merlin said, laughing. "But first there are some rules to follow. First, don't call them lizards within earshot. They really don't like it. Two, don't insult them. Don't call them anything but the names Rayleen gives you. And finally, don't act threatening around them. They'll think you are going to attack, and then they'll burn us all to a crisp."

"Cool," Kale and Steven chorused.

"Boys," I scoffed, "like danger to much." They only grinned at me.

"All right, kids," Renee reprimanded. "Let's pack our backpacks and get out of here."

"Road trip!" Kale, Steven, and I shouted gleefully. We left within the hour and headed east.


	10. We Fly to Mama and Daddy's

**A/N: Hey, guys! I know, I know, I'm ridiculously late. Please don't hate me. I hope you all didn't stop reading. To any new readers, Welcome to Knights of the Round Table. To those of you who keep coming back for more, Welcome Back! Hope you like this chapter.**

**Little longer this time. Hope that makes up for being late. Works been a pain in the butt, and I think I slept all day Saturday. It's Superbowl Sunday. Some of you are probably watching the game. (GO SEAHAWKS!) I'm not, not really into that. I'll watch the last few minutes to find out who wins, that's all. Anyway, on with the story!**

Chapter 10: We Fly to Mama and Daddy's

After a thirty minute walk, I led them into an old abandoned warehouse.

Inside, resting on various ledges, were six magnificent dragons, each a different color.

"Wow," Steven breathed. "They're beautiful."

Kale spoke up. "Do you see how the copper and blue dragons shine brighter than the gold, silver, red, and green ones?" Steven nodded. "That means," Kale continued, "that they are female. The females are also slightly larger and more aggressive than the males."

"Who will ride each dragon?" Renee asked.

"I will answer that in a second," I said. "I think the blue one sees us." I closed my eyes and concentrated, breathing slowly. With a gasp, my eyes shot open. I suddenly lunged forward and climbed to the blue dragon's ledge. Once there, I threw my arms around her long, slender neck. The second my hands touched her scales, she roared with joy. When I pulled away, I found everyone watching me. "Sorry," I called. "I haven't seen Novellen in a very, very long time. Just give me a second, and I will guide you to your appointed dragon." I scrambled up to the gold dragon's perch with Merlin at my side. When we stood in front of the magnificent beast, I put one of my hands on either side of my head and stared into his eyes. After a couple minutes, I withdrew and stumbled slightly. Merlin grabbed my shoulders until I regained my balance.

"Okay, listen up." I began. "I'll tell you who you are riding then give some instructions. Merlin, you'll ride Zophlin, the gold dragon. Arthur, the silver dragon, Argentum, will carry you. Kale, you're with your old buddy Bloodthorn. Steven will fly on Planthir, the green dragon and youngest of the bunch. Renee, you can ride Colleasion, the copper and alpha female. And I'll ride my best girl, Novellen." I took a breath and continued. "Now for instructions. Sit behind the first spine on your dragon's back. You don't need a saddle or anything to sit on, but you can't move around a lot of the scales will cut through your jeans. During flight, I will direct the dragons with my mind. The rest of you just need to relax. If you tense up, your dragon will, too." I paused for another breath. "I think that's it. So, let's get in the air and quit wasting daylight."

All of the dragons roared in agreement. I showed Renee and Steven how to mount, helped them get comfortable, and then effortlessly leaped onto Novellen's back. She flapped her great wings and slowly ascended through the ceiling, followed closely by the others.

We travelled for about three days, then landed so the dragons could rest and we could eat a proper meal. While there, Merlin instructed me to teach Steven further skills with the sword. What Kale said a few months ago was correct. Steven was a natural-born swordsman. After a couple days' rest, we took to the skies again. Before we had left, we had discussed where to go. I had told everyone that I knew of a castle in England where we would all be safe and the dragons would not be discovered.

We arrived at my grandmother's castle a long flight later. The castle was solid stone and covered about two hundred yards. We landed in the front courtyard and strode to the door. Seconds after I knocked on the door, it flew open to reveal a man with hair as red as mine. I squealed and flung my arm around his neck. He chuckled and swung me in a circle. As he set me back on my feet, my laughter rose to join his.

"I can't believe you're still alive!" I gushed.

He grinned at me. "Did you think that I would let Melvin Matroon get the better of me? Not a chance."

"Yeah, Rayleen said the same thing," Kale said as he eagerly stepped forward to shake the man's hand.

"I'm sure she did, if she's anything like me!"

Renee and Steven stared expectantly at me. I smacked myself on the forehead and nodded at them. "Renee, Steven, this is my dad, Markus. Daddy, this is Renee, the lady who adopted me; and her son Steven, who is a born swordsman."

My daddy smiled at them, then looked at Merlin. "So, you finally showed up, huh?" he asked as he reached out to shake Merlin's hand. "Azalia has been worried for years."

Merlin chuckled. "My daughter is always worried about me, Markus. Don't you know that yet?"

We all laughed and hurried inside. "Daddy, where's Mama?"

He smiled at me and led us into a parlor that was sparsely decorated with old-fashioned wood-and-leather furniture. In a high-backed chair sat a stately woman with long black hair, petite features, and bright green eyes. I stepped forward and knelt at her feet. I rested my hand on her knee, drawing her gaze to my face. Her brilliant eyes filled with tears as she took my in her arms. I began to weep with her. "Hi, Mama. I missed you so much," I sobbed.

She pulled back to look at me and wiped the tears from my cheeks. She smiled the most beautiful smile I had ever seen. "My baby finally came home." She looked at Daddy. "I told you she would." He grinned at her.

"Mama," I began, "there are some people I want you to meet. First, you already know Kale and Arthur." She nodded and gave them a hug. "Next is Steven, my adopted brother; his mother, Renee; and, for a big surprise, Grandpapa is also here."

She squealed "Papa!" and flung herself at Merlin. He caught her in his arms and swung her in a circle as Daddy had done with me, laughing all the while.

Then he pulled back and took a good look at her. "You have not changed since you were sixteen, my child. You still look just like your mother."

Mama beamed at him then greeted Steven. "I hope my daughter treated you well."

Steven smiled at her. "Well, she did like to torment me in small ways, but I did the same to her."

Mama giggled and turned to hug Renee. "Thank you for taking such good care of Rayleen for all those years."

Renee laughed and looked Mama in the eye. "It was a pleasure. She was the daughter Merlin and I never had."

Mama looked between Merlin and Renee, a curious expression on her face. Then she raised an eyebrow. "So, Papa, you got married and didn't tell me?" Merlin spluttered as Mama giggled again. "Never mind. Come, let's eat lunch."

As we sat around the large table, I looked at Mama and Daddy. "There's another surprise for you two."

"What's that, sweet?" Mama asked.

"I'm having another baby." Mama and Daddy cheered.


	11. The Baby Comes and So Does Matroon!

**A/N: Hey, guys! *ducks flying rotten tomatoes* I know, I know! I'm more than a little late this time. Work has been horrible. The only thing I did this weekend was sleep and eat. That's it.**

**BUT . . . on a happier note, here is the chapter you have been waiting for. A baby is born! What do you think, is it a boy or a girl? Read and find out!**

**Please let me know what you think. Not of the different ways you all could kill me in my sleep, but of this chapter. I really appreciate your feedback. So, without further ado, Chapter Eleven! I will talk some more at the end.**

Chapter 11: The Baby Comes, and So Does Matroon!

Over the next few months, no one would let me overexert myself.

When it came time for the baby to be born, I was helping the servants clean the kitchen after dinner. I thought about resting when I felt the first contraction, but when no more came, I went back to work.

I was crouched down to reach under the sink when a painful contraction slammed into me. I cried out and slumped to the floor. A maidservant came running in, took one look at me, and ran back out the door. Moments later, Kale barreled through the door, followed by the rest of the family. Kale scooped me into his arms and carried me up to our room.

"No time to get to the hospital," Mama said. "We're too far away. Nyna," she addressed the maidservant who found me, "we will need any kind of clean cloth you can find and lots of boiling water. Kale, get a blanket from the nursery. Renee, will you help me?" Renee nodded. "As for you men, go wait in the sitting room, and keep Kale with you."

The men nodded and left the room.

**Kale's POV:**

I paced the sitting room floor, listening as Rayleen yelled in pain. My father looked at me and shook his head.

"Kale, my son, pacing will not help," he said.

"I know, Dad. I'm just worried. And if I remember correctly, I paced this much the day Kasseene was born." I felt the familiar stab of pain as I thought of Rayleen and my firstborn daughter.

"It still hurts to remember her, doesn't it?" Markus asked.

"Yes, sir," I answered.

"Who is Kasseene, Kale?" Steven inquired.

"Kasseene," I replied heavily, "was Rayleen and my first child. She was killed when Rayleen and I were separated centuries ago. According to Azalia's mother, Kasseene looked just like Azalia did when she was born."

Merlin grinned. "Yes, her mother did say that."

Suddenly, the double doors opened. I spun toward them and saw Renee standing there. She grinned at us and said, "You can all go up now."

We flew up the stairs and burst through the bedroom door.

**Rayleen's POV:**

I looked up as Kale ran through the door to our bedroom. I smiled at him and tilted my head to beckon him closer. He came over and looked down at the bundle in my arms.

"Congratulations," Mama said. "You have a son."

Kale beamed and locked his gaze with mine.

"What do you think we should name him, sweetheart?" I asked.

Kale thought for a moment, then looked at his father. Arthur looked puzzled.

"I think," Kale started, "that we should name him Gawain."

Arthur's face lit up with a proud smile.

I smiled. "Perfect."

Suddenly, Renee shrieked and pointed at the door to the bedroom.

Standing framed in the doorway was Melvin Matroon. "Men," he ordered, "transfer the prisoners to the dungeon downstairs in the basement."

"Wait!" Mama called out. "You can't move Rayleen. You could kill her!"

Matroon shrugged in a nonchalant manner. "One less enemy to deal with."

**A/N: There! Are y'all satisfied now? Did you like it? **_**Really**_** like it? If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, PM me. Let me know.**

**I originally thought about naming the baby boy Lancelot, but then I remember Lancelot and **

**Guinevere had an affair together, and I didn't think that Arthur would like to have his grandson named after a traitor. Then I remembered, in the British TV show **_**The Adventures of Merlin,**_** that Lancelot died and Gawain kind of took his place. So I went with Gawain. That, and in the show, Gawain was hotter than Lancelot.**

**Anyway, thank you to all my loyal readers. And welcome to any new fans. I hope I made you happy. I will, in advance, type up the next few chapters so they are ready to post. After chapter sixteen, it will slow down. I haven't finished chapter seventeen yet.**

**I am shutting up now. Have a great day!**


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